Coach Fitzpatrick lauds Ireland’s ‘spectacular’ performance

THERE were tired bodies but high spirits as the Irish basketball team left Cork at 5am yesterday to put the finishing touches to their European championships semi-final round campaign with a final game against Bosnia in Sarajevo tomorrow night.

They had little time to reflect on Wednesday's thriller at the Mardyke Arena where it took double overtime and all of two hours and 35 minutes to dispose of Cyprus, 104-99, and gain the win they so richly deserved.

"It was very important to us from a seeding point of view," coach Gerry Fitzpatrick said. "It was also an exciting win for us, for the fans and for Irish basketball. Those guys deserved it. They worked so hard not just throughout the game but in the lead up to it. I am absolutely thrilled for them.